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    Actress Kelly Rutherford Granted Sole Custody Of Children

    After several years of battling in courts, the actress was granted sole custody of her children Hermes and Helena by a California judge.

    Actress Kelly Rutherford, who played Lily van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl, was given a bit of good news over the weekend: A California judge granted her sole custody of her children, eight-year-old Hermes and five-year-old Helena.

    In 2012, a court ruled that Kelly's kids were to move to Monaco with their father, Daniel Giersch since his U.S. visa was revoked and Kelly could fly to Europe for her visits. PEOPLE reported that a former lawyer for Rutherford had told the State Department Giersch was involved in illegal activity, resulting in the revocation of his U.S. visa. He reportedly never reapplied for one.

    Kelly has been fighting the ruling ever since.

    In early May, the actress started a petition to bring the situation to the White House's attention, with some help from other celebrities.

    Take a minute to sign the petition urging the White House to help bring @KellyRutherford's kids home: http://t.co/YuIASU9zr1 ❤️

    This is my friend @KellyRutherford. You (yes,you) have the power to help her get her kids back http://t.co/i32URXDhDF

    I know I don't know you @KellyRutherford but as a mom I feel your pain and I wish you the best of luck! I hope you see your babies soon!

    After the most recent ruling, Rutherford's lawyer Wendy Murphy released a statement to PEOPLE.

    The statement reads:

    We are ecstatic, and hopeful that Monaco will respect the California court's ruling and send the children home. It has long been our position that Monaco has no jurisdiction because Hermes and Helena, as American citizens, have an absolute right to live in their own country. If the citizenship shoe were on the other foot and these children were citizens of Monaco, I have no doubt the United States would respect their right to reside in Monaco.

    Monaco officials know that sending the children back to America is the right thing to do. I'm looking forward to the happy reunion of the children not only with their mother, but also with their country!